Arm Yourself With Important Safety Tips

Be smart about your safety

College is an opportunity to embrace your new-found independence and try new things. While new experiences, sometimes mean finding yourself in unfamiliar situations, there’s no need to put your personal safety in jeopardy. Knowledge is power. Here’s a list of resources and some tips on what you need to know to protect yourself from risk in a variety of situations.

National Sexual Assault Hotline:
1.800.656.HOPE (4673) or Find a Center

National Domestic Violence Hotline:
1.800.799.SAFE (7233)

Support Network for Battered Women’s 24-hour hotline:
1.800.572.2782

Tips

At Parties

Be aware of rape drugs.

Try not to leave your drink unattended.

Only drink from un-opened containers or from drinks you have watched being made and poured.

Avoid group drinks like punch bowls.

Cover your drink. It is easy to slip in a small pill even while you are holding your drink. Hold a cup with your hand over the top, or choose drinks that are contained in a bottle and keep your thumb over the nozzle.

If you feel extremely tired or drunk for no apparent reason, you may have been drugged. Find your friends and ask them to leave with you as soon as possible.

If you suspect you have been drugged, go to a hospital and ask to be tested.

Keep track of how many drinks you have had.

Try to come and leave with a group of people you trust.

Avoid giving out your personal information (phone number, where you live, etc.). If someone asks for your number, take his/her number instead of giving out yours.

Walking

Make sure your cell phone is easily accessible and fully charged.

Be familiar with where emergency phones are installed on the campus.

Be aware of open buildings where you can use a phone.

Keep some change accessible just in case you need to use a pay phone.

Take major, public paths rather than less populated shortcuts.

Avoid dimly lit places and talk to Campus Services if lights need to be installed in an area.

Avoid putting music headphones in both ears so that you can be more aware of your surroundings, especially if you are walking alone.

Walking back from the library very late at night is sometimes unavoidable, so try to walk with a friend.

Dating

When going out, let a friend or parent know when you will be back. Tell your date that you have done this so he/she will acknowledge someone is expecting you back at a certain time.

Be assertive and direct. Be able to be straightforward about what you want, like or dislike in a relationship. Having these goals or plans will help create a positive outlook on the relationship.

Driving

Keep your doors locked.

Have extra car necessities (oil, jumper cables, etc.).

Try not to wait until the last minute to fill your gas tank; always keep it at least half full if you can.

Have your keys ready when you go to unlock your car.

Residence Halls

Lock your door when you go to sleep and when you are not in the room.

Keep your window locked (especially if it is easy to enter from the ground).

If people constantly prop open the main dorm door, talk to an authority about it.

If your dorm has an elevator, try to stay near the button dashboard when are you riding in it so that you have easy access to the emergency button. Also, if you feel threatened, you can push the button for the next floor and leave immediately instead of waiting for the elevator to reach the floor where you live.

Founded in 1850, Urbana University is a private, not-for-profit institution that offers educational opportunities and college degree programs to learners around the world and throughout the state of Ohio, including the cities of Urbana, Bellefontaine, Columbus, Dayton, Fairborn, London, Marysville, Piqua, Sidney, Springfield, and Troy. Urbana is a division of Franklin University, a nonprofit accredited university in Columbus, Ohio and provider of online college degrees, including bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs.